Chapter 3: Summer Vacation Has Arrived
I wonder when people first came to know of that 《Existence》.
It was born into this world during the Edo period, when various cultures blossomed and reached their peak. Then came the Meiji era’s civilization and enlightenment; as Western culture spread, systems and customs changed drastically, and the consciousness of the Japanese people shifted.
Originally, it was an existence with no power at all.
That changed in the 1950s. As the nation recovered from defeat in the war and the Japanese economy began its rapid development, that 《Existence》 began to gain “Power” in tandem.
As its power grew, those who noticed it began to appear.
Its discovery may have been accidental, but someone who realized its abnormality conveyed this to the powerful figures of the time. In an era where the divine and supernatural were still believed in, those in power—desperate to improve Japan’s status—thought to utilize that 《Existence》 sleeping deep beneath Tokyo.
——A thing with a will, possessing great “Power”——
The researchers of the former Imperial Army and a sect of Buddhist monks known as “The Mountain,” who were commissioned to investigate, categorized the 《Existence》 as such.
It has a will. But it has not yet awakened.
Through the cooperation of “The Mountain,” which has protected this country since ancient times, it was determined that a young girl with strong sensitivity could communicate her will to the sleeping 《Existence》. And by making that girl a “Miko” (Shrine Maiden), they succeeded in utilizing a portion of that “Power.”
Thus, the country known as Japan grew further.
Whether that growth was due to the power of that 《Existence》 is uncertain. But as the national power rose, becoming one of the world’s leading economic powers, in the underground of the capital “Tokyo”—where new cultures gathered without limit—that 《Existence》 continued to grow its “Power” as if greedily devouring “something.”
And then…
Time moved to the modern day, and that 《Existence》 awoke from its long slumber.
Like a small child frightened by a “nightmare”…
The season is Summer! (Dun-dun!) Summer vacation has arrived! (Dun-dun-dun!)
Since it’s summer vacation, Han… I mean, Ouji-kun invited me to relax together at a Swiss summer resort for about a month, but like I can go just like that!
My family isn’t of the standing to take such long vacations. Sorry!
But, I am really glad I chose the pseudonym [Sam] for Ouji-kun… I apologize to his parents who surely put various hopes into his name, but my mental peace is more important, so it can’t be helped. Honestly, even “Ouji” (Prince) is a bit much, but it’s still okay! My mental durability hasn’t been completely whittled away yet!
His real name makes my heart ache, “Sam” makes my heart freeze, and it’s not even a pun.
Speaking of Ouji-kun, thanks to me holding his hand every single day to stop him from inhaling snacks and making him walk around the kindergarten garden, he has slimmed down just a little bit.
I mean, just while at kindergarten, he was eating about three thousand kilocalories, right? …Putting it into numbers makes me dizzy. Just stopping that had an amazing effect.
What the heck is eating a whole log of ham during break time anyway? When Ouji-kun goes without eating for a long time, he gets restless, but in those moments, if I hold his hand, he smiles and calms down.
We are completely friends now, right! …Right?
Anyway, the goal from now on is to make him slim enough that my heart doesn’t hurt when he is called [Ouji].
Do your best, Ouji-kun! For the sake of my peace of mind!
Also, my memory has settled down considerably. I’ve remembered a lot of things, but thanks to overwriting them with the memories of these past two months, I’m doing okay. It’s not that those strange memories have disappeared, but it feels like I’ve learned how to put a lid on them properly.
Well, even so, the fact that I don’t act like a child hasn’t changed…
Furthermore, my ban on going out has been extended. Well, I am still going to kindergarten, though.
What I can no longer attend are my lessons. Given my personality, this might be surprising, but I could actually play the piano.
Since I was prone to illness and often fell behind in my studies, plus the confusion in my memory, Mother was thinking of making me quit the piano. But when I was told that, I tried playing the piano at home and I could play it normally. Strange!
The teacher was surprised, saying it was as if I had received years of top-tier lessons. Perhaps the “Me” from the fantasy side inside of me could play? …That explains why the position of the keys felt slightly different from my memory.
Oops, I digress.
Right, the reason my house arrest was extended is that in these past two months, I encountered traffic accidents twice and a random street attacker once.
What are the odds?! By the way, I managed to avoid all of them. Everyone involved seemed like they weren’t in their right minds; they caused accidents on their own and self-destructed, and the slasher was pinned down by people around us.
None of them were sane. Just like that truck driver at the park…
Am I being targeted?
By “Who” exactly…?
With that in mind, I decided it would be better for me to avoid downtown areas or tourist spots where there are large, unspecified crowds. Still, I have to go to kindergarten, and my parents don’t think I’m being targeted, so they have a very loose attitude like, “It should be fine if it’s just the neighborhood.”
I can’t go far. However, right now, it is officially Summer Vacation.
At first, Ouji-kun came to play, or I went to his house, but Ouji-kun is now under the skies of Switzerland… I get messages on my phone every day, but if I just do that, I’ll be a nuisance to him while he’s traveling.
Not having female friends is actually quite tough… The girls in the kindergarten group won’t get along with me because I can talk normally to Kouki-kun. Even as kindergarteners, women are scary.
Mood-wise, it would be easier to play with someone around Koto-chan’s age, but since I am wearing the skin of a toddler, it can’t be helped.
“That over there… what is it?”
Having too much time on my hands, I was blankly staring out the window when I caught a glimpse of something red on top of a hill a little ways away. …What was that again? I recognize it, though.
It’s not surfacing from the memories belonging to this “body” of mine right now, but from the “Me” residing within those fragmented, messy, muddy memories.
“Ah~… A shrine torii gate?”
If I recall, in this area, was it an Inari (Fox) shrine? It didn’t enshrine a famous god, but it was a small shrine that had been there since ancient times.
I’ve been there for Hatsumode (New Year’s visit), so it’s visible from this house too. I haven’t gone to such a place since becoming the current me, but it might be cooler than the city streets.
A quiet shrine with sunlight filtering through the trees—doesn’t that sound somewhat appealing?
And so.
“Oba-onii-chan, I want to go to the shrine on top of the hill.”
“Oh, sounds good! Is it cicadas? Is it for cicadas? Big Brother is a master at catching cicadas, you know!”
I do not need cicadas.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT gadgetizedpanda.net
Koto-chan wasn’t home due to club activities, but Oba-onii-chan had just returned from his club, so when I asked, he readily agreed. Or rather, Oba-onii-chan—and my family in general—is very helpful because they never ask for reasons or explanations.
It’s in the neighborhood, but I’m going out with Oba-onii-chan. Yaaay.
By the way, Onii-sama’s outfit for today consists of a white tank top, a straw hat, shorts, sandals, a towel wrapped around his neck, and a bug-catching net he dragged out of the storage shed—a full set. …Why is he so serious about catching cicadas?
I was also made to wear a lemon-colored dress and a white hat, and hold a bug cage, but please stop! If a cicada suddenly moves, I will cry, I really will!
“Yuzu, the stone steps are long, will you be okay? Big Brother can carry you on his back, you know?”
“…No. I’ll try climbing them myself.”
A twenty-minute walk from our house… arriving at the shrine entrance, about fifty stone steps leading up to the torii gate on the forested hill were waiting for me.
From a toddler’s perspective, it looks even higher. If I fall, I won’t get off lightly, so for a moment I thought about going home, but I decided to do my best.
The steps are steeper than the stairs at home. Perhaps because of that, my steps feel heavy, or rather, I feel strangely exhausted.
I don’t know why, but I also have a sensation like my peach fuzz is standing on end (not that I have any), so could it be… is my stamina too low? No, I cannot lose to Ouji-kun. Dragging him around requires stamina! Hmph!
——Zap!——
“Hm?”
“What’s wrong? Want a piggyback ride after all?”
“No, I’m okay.”
It felt like static electricity popping just now. Was that earlier sensation static too? …Oh? The heaviness in my body is gone as well.
…The thick shimenawa rope tied to the large tree beside the stone steps was burnt and snapped, but surely that has nothing to do with me, so it’s not a problem. It is not my fault. I will not say a word until you call my lawyer!
Oh well! It’s not a big deal, so there’s no need to worry!
Even so, climbing stone steps is tough. Each step has a different height and width, so for a toddler with a narrow stride, the sense of fatigue is different.
But, it is only by overcoming this that one can fully enjoy the quiet shrine grounds amidst the refreshing sunlight filtering through the trees!
“Miiin! Min-min!” “Gyahaha!” “It went over there!” “Miiin-min-min!” “Something fell from the cicada!?” “Let’s look for beetles!” “Waaah waaaah!” “Kyahaha!”
The summer vacation shrine was not quiet!
What on earth is this herd of children… Elementary school kids gathered from the neighborhood were screaming at full volume and running around. Well, boys of this age are like this. There were also a few people who came to pray properly.
This isn’t an unstaffed old shrine; it’s a properly managed one.
I came seeking coolness and silence, but I was already exhausted just from climbing the steps, so I washed my hands… and rinsed my mouth, was it? After praying, I sat down on the shrine grounds and blankly looked up at the summer sky.
All I could hear were the noisy voices of cicadas and the battle cries of children… and then.
——Clap, clap——
“…Eh?”
Suddenly hearing a clapping sound, I lowered my face to find a grandmother I didn’t know at all. She had placed a package of Rakugan (sugar candy) in front of me, clapped her hands, and was praying.
“Eh, wait, hold on.”
When I called out to stop her, the grandma took some small change out of her coin purse, tossed it at me, and just walked away somewhere.
Seriously, wait a minute! What’s the point of giving me an offering?! Why a five-yen coin?! Who exactly am I supposed to form a bond (go-en) with, Grandma?!
Really, what do you want me to do…? Looking closely, perhaps others had left things too—rice crackers, candies, daifuku, and small change were placed around me.
Somehow, the atmosphere of this place called a shrine is different, or rather, it feels strange, so maybe I should go back home before I encounter another slasher or kidnapper.
“Hey, Oba-onii-cha…”
Oba-onii-chan, who came as my chaperone, had for some reason gathered the elementary schoolers and was holding a cicada-catching lecture.
No, I mean, it’s fine, bu…t?
“…Cat?”
As I looked around wondering what to do, I noticed a pitch-black cat at the stone steps that served as the shrine entrance.
Fur of the deepest black, unmixed with anything else…
Its silver eyes reflected me and—
“——Yuzu!”
Before I realized it, I was being held from behind by Oba-onii-chan, and right in front of me… just one step away, the stone steps leading down continued.
“What are you doing, Yuzu! You were about to fall!”
“…Ah, yeah… I’m sorry.”
“What happened? …Did you feel sick again? Let’s go home. If you want to come again, I’ll accompany you.”
Worried about me, as I had seemingly lost my energy and apologized meekly, Oba-onii-chan gently patted my head and then carried me on his back.
Me… what exactly am I doing?
TLNOTE:
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